Given that the exterior cladding (or siding as it is commonly referred to) has the primary purpose of keeping water out of the house wall system, why would anyone construct this gladding so as to promote water collection?

If you look carefully at all the little shelves created in this brickwork, the holes in the brick are going to collect water---no doubt about it.

Of course most brick veneer is designed in such a way as to dealwith small amounts of water that finds its way into the supposed air space behind the brick, but why would you deliberately temp fate?

As long as there are the proper weep holes at the bottom, the proper air space and proper house wrap this poor installation may be relatively forgiving.